Jeremiah 25:38 kjv
He hath forsaken his covert, as the lion: for their land is desolate because of the fierceness of the oppressor, and because of his fierce anger.
Jeremiah 25:38 nkjv
He has left His lair like the lion; For their land is desolate Because of the fierceness of the Oppressor, And because of His fierce anger."
Jeremiah 25:38 niv
Like a lion he will leave his lair, and their land will become desolate because of the sword of the oppressor and because of the LORD's fierce anger.
Jeremiah 25:38 esv
Like a lion he has left his lair, for their land has become a waste because of the sword of the oppressor, and because of his fierce anger."
Jeremiah 25:38 nlt
He has left his den like a strong lion seeking its prey,
and their land will be made desolate
by the sword of the enemy
and the LORD's fierce anger.
Jeremiah 25 38 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jeremiah 25:9 | "...I will call for all the tribes of the north... and they will come and make war against it." | God's judgment through foreign invaders |
| Jeremiah 49:19 | "Like a lion from the thickets of the Jordan, so shall an everlasting pasture come; and I will suddenly drive them away." | Similar imagery of a lion and displacement |
| Isaiah 5:30 | "They will roar over them like the roaring of the sea." | Nations roaring like the sea |
| Amos 3:4 | "Does a lion roar in the thicket when he has no prey?" | Lion's roar indicating purpose |
| Psalm 22:13 | "They opened wide their mouths at me, like a ravening and roaring lion." | Imagery of predatory lions |
| Jeremiah 4:7 | "For a lion has come up from his thicket..." | Similar prophetic imagery |
| Jeremiah 50:44 | "...like a lion coming up from the jungle along the Jordan..." | Again, Jordan's thickets |
| Nahum 2:11 | "Where is the lions' den, the place where the lions lived..." | Desolation of once powerful places |
| Deuteronomy 28:49 | "The Lord will bring a nation from afar, from the end of the earth, as the eagle swoops down..." | Divine judgment through a foreign power |
| Hosea 11:10 | "They will follow the Lord; like a lion he will roar; yes, he will roar, and his children will come trembling from the west." | God's power and his people's response |
| Zephaniah 3:3 | "Her princes in her midst are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves..." | Princes as predatory animals |
| Ezekiel 19:3 | "And she brought up one of her cubs, and he became a young lion; and he learned to catch prey and became a man-eater." | Judah as a lion cub |
| 1 Peter 5:8 | "Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour." | Adversary likened to a lion |
| Revelation 5:5 | "Then I saw the Lion of the tribe of Judah..." | Jesus as the Lion of Judah |
| Acts 7:51 | "You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you." | Israel's persistent resistance |
| Leviticus 26:17 | "... and your enemies will rule over you; you will flee though no one pursues you." | consequence of disobedience |
| Jeremiah 46:17 | "Pharaoh king of Egypt is but a loud blusterer who has done his time." | powerful nations like roaring lions |
| Jeremiah 46:22 | "Her voice will sound like the drawing of a bow; they march to battle in battle array..." | sounds of destruction |
| Jeremiah 17:16 | "Take me out of the miry clay, out of the deep..." | distress and despair |
| Lamentations 1:14 | "It is my iniquities that have bound them, that have come to the yoke." | burden of sin |
| Daniel 4:34 | "...and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever..." | acknowledging God's sovereignty |
Jeremiah 25 verses
Jeremiah 25 38 Meaning
Jeremiah 25:38 describes the ultimate devastation and scattering of the people of Judah, likening it to a lion leaving its den. This signifies a complete and final abandonment of their land due to God's judgment. The verse highlights the overwhelming nature of the coming destruction and the complete rout of God's people from their homeland.
Jeremiah 25 38 Context
This verse concludes Jeremiah chapter 25, a chapter detailing God's judgment against Judah and all nations for their wickedness and idolatry. God had repeatedly sent prophets, including Jeremiah, to warn His people, but they had not repented. This verse specifically focuses on the desolation of Judah. The "lion" that comes up signifies an overwhelming force of destruction, which in the historical context refers to the Babylonian army led by Nebuchadnezzar. The scattering implies a complete dismantling of their societal structure and their exile from their homeland. The entire chapter builds to this pronouncement of divine wrath against prolonged disobedience and rejection of God's covenant.
Jeremiah 25 38 Word analysis
For: Introduces the reason or consequence for the preceding pronouncements.
from: Indicates the origin or source of the destructive force.
from: Repeated for emphasis on the departure and subsequent action.
his: Possessive pronoun referring back to God, emphasizing His decree.
thicket:
- Hebrew: "syug" (סוּג) - usually means a hedge or thicket.
- Here implies a hidden, natural place of strength or habitation from which a predator emerges.
of
Jordan:
- Hebrew: "Yardeyn" (יַרְדֵּן) - the principal river of ancient Palestine.
- The Jordan Valley was known for its dense thickets and predatory animals, a place associated with fierce, untamed power.
is: Verb of being.
gone forth:
- Hebrew: "yalats" (יָלַץ) - often means to go forth, to come out, to be expelled.
- Implies an emergence, an unstoppable advance.
to
their: Possessive pronoun referring to the people of Judah.
destruction:
- Hebrew: "shammáh" (שַׁמָּה) - desolation, waste, astonishment, ruin.
- Emphasizes the complete ruin and devastating impact.
upon: Indicates the target of the destruction.
all:
- Hebrew: "kol" (כֹּל) - signifying totality, entirety.
- Underscores the universal scope of the judgment upon Judah.
the inhabitants:
- Hebrew: "yoshvey" (יֹשְׁבֵי) - plural of "yoshev" (יוֹשֵׁב), meaning inhabitant or dweller.
- Refers to all the people living in the land.
of:
the land:
- Hebrew: "ha'arets" (הָאָרֶץ) - the land, specifically the land of Judah.
- Highlights the desolation of their divinely appointed territory.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "from his thicket of Jordan": This phrase vividly conjures the image of a powerful, dangerous animal emerging from its secure, natural habitat, bringing with it a sense of inherent wildness and destructive capability. The Jordan thickets were known as places of refuge for wild beasts.
- "is gone forth to their destruction": This succinctly states the purpose of this emergence—complete annihilation. The unstoppable advance is directly linked to ruin.
- "upon all the inhabitants of the land": This emphasizes the all-encompassing nature of the judgment, leaving no one untouched within the borders of Judah.
Jeremiah 25 38 Bonus section
The recurring imagery of a lion in relation to divine judgment and power throughout Scripture, including this verse, serves to emphasize the ferocity and absolute authority of God’s actions, whether in bringing judgment or in ultimately defeating enemies. The location of the Jordan thickets, often associated with wild, untamed nature and powerful animals, amplifies the intensity of the impending destruction. This verse acts as a pronouncement that culminates the warnings given throughout Jeremiah, marking the beginning of the Babylonian exile. The scattering mentioned here directly leads to the experiences of loss and displacement that characterized the period of the exile.
Jeremiah 25 38 Commentary
Jeremiah 25:38 paints a stark picture of God's judgment on Judah. The imagery of a lion emerging from the Jordan thickets is a powerful metaphor for the overwhelming and relentless Babylonian invasion that would utterly destroy and displace the inhabitants of Judah. It signifies the finality of God's judgment for their persistent disobedience and rejection of His warnings. The verse conveys not just military conquest but the complete desolation of their land and their scattering from their God-given inheritance. It’s a potent reminder of the serious consequences of turning away from God and the inevitability of judgment for unrepented sin, while also underscoring God’s ultimate sovereignty over nations and events.